Islamabad - The Pakistani military said Wednesday it had
killed at least 33 militants, while two soldiers died in rocket
attacks, as heavily-armed supporters of a pro-Taliban cleric gained
control over a third town in the north-western valley of Swat.
'We apprehended four militants near the valley's Saido Sharif
airport when their armed supporters came for their help but our
forces repelled the attack, killing six of them,' army spokesman
Major General Waheed Arshad told the Dawn news channel.
At least two soldiers were killed and five injured when the
militants fired several rockets at the soldiers deployed at the
airport, country's state Pakistan Television reported.
Ten more rebels were killed as helicopter gunships pounded
militant positions in the Matta and Shangla areas of the valley, and
another group of 17 died when their truck was blown off a
mountainside by helicopter canon fire, Arshad said.
'We have reports from local sources that everyone on board the
vehicle was killed,' he added.
The strikes came a day after Islamic militants gained control of
another town in the scenic Swat valley, a former tourist destination
located a 4-hour drive away from the capital Islamabad that has seen
heavy fighting in the past two weeks.
About 400 gunmen travelling in 16 trucks entered Alpuri, the main
town in the Shangla district, Tuesday night and seized its government
buildings and police headquarters, the Pakistani daily The News
reported.
Arshad confirmed the advance but refused to give details of the
fighting.
Alpuri was the third major town in the Swat Valley that has fallen
to the Islamic militia organized by the firebrand cleric Maulana
Fazlullah since late October when Pakistani troops were sent to
restrain him from enforcing Taliban rule in the area.
Scores of people, including several dozen security personnel, have
died in clashes this month.
Meanwhile, at least two soldiers were killed in a roadside bomb
attack on a security convoy in the neighbouring Malakand agency,
apparently by supporters of Fazlullah, according to Dawn.
The army spokesman denied the report.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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